Finalist Catalogue & Voting Form Finalist Exhibition 9–23 November 2015 Federation Square melbourneprize.org Melbourne

Melbourne Prize Best Writing Writers Prize for Literature Award 2015 2015 finalists 2015 finalists finalists Robyn Annear Steven Carroll James Button Nick Gadd Brenda Niall Patricia Cornelius Kate Ryan Christos Tsiolkas Andrea Goldsmith David Sornig Chris Wallace- Gideon Haigh Maria Tumarkin Crabbe AM Daniel Keene Alexis Wright Alex Miller John Safran Maria Takolander Abigail Ulman Don Watson

06 Our 2015 Partners and Patrons 08 Finalists Exhibition Location Map 10 Prize and Awards 13 Civic Choice Award 2015 Voting Slip 15 Government Partners 16 2015 Judges 18 2005–2014 annual Melbourne Prize Alumni 20 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 28 Best Writing Award 2015 40 Writers Prize 2015 48 Acknowledgements 50 About the Melbourne Prize Trust 06 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

Public exhibition 9 to 23 November 2015 Federation Square, Melbourne melbourneprize.org Our Partners The Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 is made possible by the generous support of the following partners and patrons

Thank you to the Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 partners and patrons

Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Principal Patron Founding Partners Patrons Partners

Dr. Ronald Benson Government Partners Corporate Partners

Best Writing Award Exhibition & Event Partner 2015 Patron

Associate

Writers Prize 2015 Partner Professional Services Exhibition Consultant

Media Communications

In association with Banners Trophies Broadcast Partner

Civic Choice Award Print Partners 2015 Partners IT Services

Exhibition Signage & AV

Wine Partner

Residency e-Book Partner With the support of the City A Message from of Melbourne through its 2015 Arts Grants Program, and our the Executive partners and patrons this year, we are delighted to provide opportunities for writers and Director of demonstrate the importance of literature in a vibrant and the Melbourne creative community. Prize Trust Thank you to all the entrants this year and congratulations to the finalists. The dedication of our The Melbourne Prize Trust offers the Melbourne 2015 judges is greatly appreciated. Prize for Literature 2015, Best Writing Award 2015, Please refer to the opposite page Writers Prize 2015 and Civic Choice Award 2015 as and to our Acknowledgements one of the most valuable literary awards in Australia. on page 48 of this catalogue. This catalogue provides details of the prize and We would like to thank the awards, and the finalists in each category, as well literary sector and the many as how to vote for the Civic Choice Award 2015. organisations, publications and To showcase the work of the finalists and enable websites that are immensely the public to engage with the abundant literary supportive in raising awareness talent in Victoria, the finalists work will be exhibited of our 2015 program. at Federation Square between 9 and 23 November Please visit our website at 2015. The public will have an opportunity to vote for melbourneprize.org for their favourite finalist to win the $6,000 Civic Choice further information or call Award 2015, both online and in this catalogue. (03) 9696 4410. By voting for the Civic Choice Award 2015, voters Simon Warrender will enter a draw to win an overnight stay at Sofitel Executive Director & Founder Melbourne On Collins, Melbourne’s hotel for the arts. Melbourne Prize Trust In 2008, Melbourne was designated by UNESCO melbourneprizetrust.org as an international City of Literature. The designation recognises the importance of literature to the City and State and the central role that writers have played, and continue to play, in the cultural life of our community.

The Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 and Awards support Melbourne’s status as a UNESCO City of Literature, recognising and rewarding literary talent and providing opportunities for writers. We are proud to have the Victorian Government as a partner through Creative Victoria. 08 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 About the Finalist Exhibition

Key Dates Federation Square is the exhibition and events partner Finalist Exhibition and ‘home’ of the Melbourne at Federation Square Prize. This long-term partnership 9 to 23 November 2015 makes it possible for the public, Winners Announced at visiting the free public exhibition melbourneprize.org each November, to engage with 11 November 2015 abundant talent in literature, music and (urban) sculpture. Civic Choice Award 2015 The exhibition provides artists, Winner Announced at writers and musicians with public melbourneprize.org exposure, in one of the country’s 27 November 2015 most visited public spaces. The finalist exhibition is held The Melbourne Prize Trust in the Atrium at Federation appreciates Federation Square Melbourne – see site Square’s generous support, map on the opposite page. which enhances our creative The exhibition provides resources and provides information on the finalists in the opportunities to promote our Melbourne Prize for Literature abundant artistic talent through 2015, Best Writing Award 2015 the annual Melbourne Prize. and the new Writers Prize 2015. The voting box for the Civic Choice Award 2015 will be located at the exhibition—see the voting form in the catalogue on page 13. This 2015 finalist catalogue is designed by our partner Cornwell, printed by Rothfield Print Management with paper generously provided by Spicers. Finalist Exhibition and Civic Choice Award 2015 voting point.

Location Map Federation Square, Melbourne

Flinders Street

Western Terrace Alfred Deakin Building i NGV

Atrium

i X Swanston StreetSwanston

Transport Deakin Hotel Yarra Edge Building

Yarra River

Information i Main touchpoint, voting point and catalogue collection X Finalist Exhibition 10 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Best Writing Award 2015 2015 $30,000 The Best Writing Award 2015 is for a piece of published work of outstanding clarity, originality Prize & and creativity by a Victorian writer. The submitted work must be published and can be any genre or form for example, Awards fiction, non-fiction, essays, plays, screenplays and poetry.

The Best Writing Award 2015 Please visit readings.com.au is supported by its sole patron, for the finalists books. The Robert Salzer Foundation.

Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

$60,000 The Melbourne Prize for The recipient of this award Literature 2015 is for a Victorian will also receive Qantas author whose body of published international air travel to the work has made an outstanding value of $2,500 (including GST). contribution to Australian literature and to cultural and intellectual life. The author’s work must be published and can include all genres and forms, for example, fiction, Residency – non-fiction, essays, plays, The University screenplays and poetry. of Melbourne The Prize is supported by A residency at the School of The Vera Moore Foundation Culture and Communication, and The Tallis Foundation. The University of Melbourne will be awarded, at the discretion of the judges, to either the recipient of the Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015, Writers Prize 2015 or the Best Writing Award 2015. Writers Prize 2015 Civic Choice Award 2015 $20,000 (Plus $2,000 to each of the five finalists) $6,000 The Writers Prize 2015 is a Vote for your favourite finalist new category made available in either category. this year to continue the 10th To be awarded to one of the anniversary celebrations of the finalists in the Melbourne Prize annual Melbourne Prize. The for Literature 2015, Best Writing Award provides opportunities for Award 2015 and the Writers Prize writers to produce new work. 2015 with the most public votes Entrants to the Writers Prize 2015 cast during the exhibition held are invited to submit an essay between 9 to 23 November 2015 of up to 20,000 words (10,000 (voting opened online at words minimum). The essay the announcement of the must include Melbourne, Victoria finalists on 2 September). or Australia in its subject. The award winner will be Entrants to this award must announced on 27 November be a published author. 2015 at melbourneprize.org. Supported by the Copyright Votes may be cast the following Agency’s Cultural Fund, in two ways until the close of the association with The Malcolm exhibition on 23 November 2015 Robertson Foundation. 1. By completing the voting slip in this exhibition catalogue and posting in the voting box at the exhibition. 2. Visit melbourneprize.org and In association with complete the online voting form. The Civic Choice Award 2015 is supported by Readings and Hardie Grant Books.

The five finalists essays have been published through the generous support of the Griffith Review. All prize and award announcements will be made at melbourneprize.org Please see the location map on page 9 for where to vote for the Civic Choice Award 2015 at the Federation Square Finalist Exhibition – 9 to 23 November.

Civic Choice Award 2015 Voting Slip

Please tear off and complete the form over the page. Post this slip in the voting box – see location on page 9.

The Civic Choice Award 2015 is to be Postal votes may be made by completing awarded to the finalist in the Melbourne this voting slip and mailing to Prize for Literature 2015 and Award Melbourne Prize Trust, 234 St Kilda categories with the most public votes. Road, Southbank VIC 3006.

You may vote for only one (1) of the Please tick only ONE (1) box of the 20 finalists twenty (20) finalists. Votes may be cast in the form over the page to vote. Post the by completing the voting slip over the completed slip in the voting box in the Atrium page and posting in the voting box at (see location map in the catalogue on page 9). the finalist exhibition from 9 November to 23 November 2015, or on the website. The Civic Choice Award 2015 is supported by Readings and Hardie Grant Books. The recipient of the Civic Choice Award 2015 will be announced at melbourneprize.org on 27 November 2015.

Please complete the form over the page  14 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

Sofitel Overnight Stay By voting you will have the chance to win an overnight stay Civic at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. The recipient of the Sofitel accommodation will be drawn from completed catalogue Choice voting slips and online voting. The recipient will be notified after the exhibition by email. Award Please provide your name and email address.

Name

2015 Email Voting Slip Please fill in this voting slip or go Melbourne’s ‘hotel for the arts’, to melbourneprize.org and vote Sofitel Melbourne on Collins, for your favourite finalist to win the is donating the accommodation $6,000 Civic Choice Award 2015. package for an overnight stay in a classic king room, including You may vote for only one (1) of a buffet breakfast for two and the following twenty (20) finalists – valet parking. please tick a box and provide your name and email address opposite. One of Australia’s most luxurious hotels, Sofitel Melbourne on Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Collins is located at the ‘Paris’ end ††Steven Carroll of Collins Street in the heart of the ††Brenda Niall city’s premier dining, shopping ††Christos Tsiolkas and entertainment precincts, ††Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM offering spectacular views over ††Alexis Wright the city from every room. Best Writing Award 2015 ††James Button Supported by ††Patricia Cornelius ††Andrea Goldsmith ††Gideon Haigh ††Daniel Keene ††Alex Miller ††John Safran ††Maria Takolander ††Abigail Ulman ††Don Watson Writers Prize Award 2015 ††Robyn Annear Please tear off and post ††Nick Gadd at the voting point – see ††Kate Ryan ††David Sornig location map on page 9 ††Maria Tumarkin Government Partners

Each year the Melbourne Prize Melbourne is one of the world’s honours and showcases the talents great creative cities. We have a of Victorian artists and, in doing thriving music scene, dynamic so, celebrates one of the great arts industry and we are a strengths of our city - creativity. UNESCO City of Literature.

This year we turn our attention For more than ten years, the to literature with an impressive annual Melbourne Prize has group of finalists, from exciting made a significant contribution emerging voices to international to our city’s rich cultural life. bestsellers. It’s a shortlist that This prize is all about celebrating spans poetry and politics, theatre creative excellence and talent, and sport and much more. and providing exceptional career development opportunities for Congratulations to all of this year’s finalists and thank you for the writers, musicians and sculptors contribution you make to our City from Melbourne and Victoria. of Literature and our creative state. I congratulate the winners and The Andrews Labor Government wish the finalists every success is proud to partner the Melbourne in their future creative pursuits. Prize Trust as it celebrates more Robert Doyle than a decade of promoting and Lord Mayor of Melbourne supporting our creative talent.

Martin Foley MP Minister for Creative Industries 16 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Judges

The Melbourne Prize for Literature is a wonderful celebration of the quality of Victorian writing, and the writers who have made a significant cultural and creative impact. I was honoured to judge the Judging the Melbourne Prize prize, and with my fellow has been such a great pleasure, distinguished judges felt the at least it feels like that in weight of the decisions to be hindsight!; the breadth and made in choosing the shortlist scope of the work coming out and awarding the winners. of Victoria is so impressive that The difficulty lay not in the it reminds us why Melbourne’s quantity of entries – for me, designation as a UNESCO City the reading was a pleasure of Literature is so well deserved. – but in the quality. The brilliant There has been some criticism and brave literature submitted lately of literary Prizes and of to this prize is a testament the judging process; nothing is to the vibrancy of Victoria’s perfect and judging is inevitably literary culture. a subjective process. Having Lisa Dempster said that, I strongly believe Festival Director & CEO, the Melbourne Prize is such Melbourne Writers Festival a wonderful way to recognise Victoria’s literary creativity and it does that with imagination and integrity.

Mark Rubbo OAM Managing Director, Readings Books Music & Film Poets, memoirists, writers for young people and writers for old; essayists, novelists, philosophers and journalists; new and original voices and career artists with thousands of words behind them; funny, sad, thoughtful, angry, and It was an honour to be a judge always surprising. The idea of for this year’s Melbourne Prize. comparing and parsing the many What a vast list of books and outstanding entries for this year’s manuscripts to read across Melbourne Prize for Literature so many forms! Selecting my – much less determining greatest list for consideration for the achievements in the mix – general shortlists was one of was daunting at the start and the most difficult tasks I’ve had unthinkable by the end. for a long time. It was a delight Oh, to judge a prize for an inferior to read established writers artform like music or public working at their best. And to sculpture where the choice discover brilliant new ones who is more straightforward. But suggest the future of Victorian with the insights and wisdom literature will be in good hands. of my fellow judges, we were able to acknowledge a shortlist Craig Sherborne of outstanding quality and Writer once again celebrating the achievement and prize that is contemporary writing in this city and state.

Michael Williams Director The Wheeler Centre 18 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

2014 2013 2011

Melbourne Prize for Melbourne Prize for Melbourne Prize Urban Sculpture 2014 Music 2013 for Urban Geoff Robinson Brett Dean Sculpture 2011 Bianca Hester The annual Professional Outstanding Musicians Melbourne Prize Development Award 2013 Professional Award 2014 Stephen Magnusson Development Alumni 2005–2014 Kay Abude Award 2011 Development Isaac Greener & Civic Choice Award 2013 Lucas Maddock Award 2014 Kate Kelsey–Sugg Kay Abude Civic Choice The bronze presentation Civic Choice Award 2011 trophies are designed by Rural & Regional Award 2013 Isaac Greener & Cornwell and hand made Development Award Mick Harvey Lucas Maddock by Fundere Fine Art 2014 Foundry Melbourne. Aleks Danko 2012 2010 funderestudios.com.au Melbourne Prize Melbourne Prize for Literature 2012 for Music 2010 Alex Miller David Jones

Best Writing Outstanding Award 2012 Musicians Craig Sherborne Award 2010 Ben Northey Civic Choice Award 2012 Development Tony Birch Award 2010 Natalie Bartsch 2009 2007 2005

Melbourne Prize Melbourne Prize Melbourne Prize for Literature 2009 for Music 2007 for Urban Gerald Murnane Paul Grabowsky Sculpture 2005 Open Spatial Workshop Best Writing Outstanding Musicians Award 2009 Award 2007 Professional Nam Le Genevieve Lacey Development Award 2005 Civic Choice Development Karen Abernethy Award 2009 Award 2007 Amra Pajalic Julian Langdon Civic Choice Award 2005 2008 2006 Matthew de Moiser

Melbourne Prize for Melbourne Prize Urban Sculpture 2008 for Literature 2006 Alexander Knox Helen Garner

Professional Best Writing Development Award 2006 Award 2008 Christos Tsiolkas Tom Nicholson Civic Choice Vic Urban Award 2006 Award 2008 Henry von Doussa Louise Paramor

Civic Choice Award 2008 Elaine Miles 20 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

Finalists

Steven Carroll Brenda Niall Christos Tsiolkas Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM Alexis Wright

Please visit readings.com.au for the finalists books.

Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 $60,000 The Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 is for a Victorian author whose body of published work has made an outstanding contribution to Australian literature and to cultural and intellectual life. The author’s work must be published and can include all genres and forms, for example, fiction, non-fiction, essays, plays, screenplays and poetry. There is no age limit for this prize.

The Prize is supported by The Vera Moore Foundation and The Tallis Foundation.

22 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 – Finalist Key Published Steven Works Carroll

Biography Forever Young, Harper Collins Steven Carroll’s latest novel Forever Young (2015) Australia, June 2015 continues his award-winning Glenroy series. The author of ten novels including A World of A World of Other People, Harper Other People (2013) and The Spirit of Progress Collins Australia, May 2013 (2011), he won the Miles Franklin Award for Spirit of Progress, Harper The Time We Have Taken in 2008. Steven lives Collins Australia, August 2011 in Melbourne with his partner and son. The Lost Life, Harper Collins Australia, April 2009

The Time We Have Taken, Harper Collins Australia, March 2007, Liebeskind (Germany) February 2009, Editions Phebus (France) March 2009, Random House (UK), August 2009

The Gift of Speed, Harper Collins Australia, August, 2004, Editions Phebus (France), September 2006, Liebeskind (Germany), September 2007, Random House (UK), 2011

The Art of the Engine Driver, Harper Collins Australia, 2001, Editions Phebus (France), 2005, Liebeskind (Germany), September 2006, Random House (UK), 2010

The Love Song of Lucy McBride, Allen & Unwin, 1997, MIRA Publications, UK, Germany, Russia, Czech Republic, Serbia and Australia, 2008

Momoko, McPhee/Gribble, 1994, MIRA Publications, UK, Germany, Russia, Czech Republic, Serbia and Australia, March 2007

Remember Me, Jimmy James, McPhee/Gribble, 1992 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 – Finalist 23 Key Published Brenda Works Niall

Biography Literary criticism: Seven Little Brenda Niall is one of Australia’s foremost Billabongs: The World of Ethel biographers. She is the author of four award-winning Turner and Mary Grant Bruce biographies, including her acclaimed accounts of the (Melbourne University Boyd family. Brenda has degrees from the University Press, 1979) of Melbourne, the Australian National University and Monash University. In 2004 she was awarded Literary criticism: Australia the Order of Australia (AO) for services to Australian Through the Looking Glass: Literature as academic, biographer and literary critic. Children’s Fiction 1830-1980 (Melbourne University Press, 1984)

Biography: Martin Boyd: A Life (Melbourne University Press, 1988)

Biography: Georgiana: A Biography of Georgiana McCrae, painter, diarist, pioneer (Melbourne University Press, 1994)

Biography: The Boyds: A Family Biography (Melbourne University Press, 2002)

Biography: Judy Cassab: A Portrait (Allen & Unwin, 2005)

Memoir: Life Class: The Education of a Biographer (Melbourne University Press, 2007)

Biography: The Riddle of Father Hackett: A Life in Ireland and Australia (National Library of Australia, 2009)

Biography: True North: The Story of Mary and Elizabeth Durack (Text Publishing, 2012)

Biography: Mannix (Text Publishing, 2015)

textpublishing.com.au/ authors/brendaniall 24 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 – Finalist Key Published Christos Works Loaded, Tsiolkas Random House Australia, 1995 Jump Cuts (with Biography Sasha Soldatow), Random Christos Tsiolkas is the author of five novels: Loaded House Australia, 1996 (which was made into the feature film Head-On, The Jesus Man, Random directed by Ana Kokkinos), The Jesus Man, and Dead House Australia, 1999 Europe, which won the 2006 Age Fiction Prize and The Devil’s Playground, the 2006 Melbourne Prize Best Writing Award. (It was Currency Press, 2002 adapted into a feature film by director Tony Krawitz). He won Overall Best Book in the Commonwealth Writers’ Dead Europe, Prize 2009, was shortlisted for the 2009 Miles Franklin Random House Australia, 2005 Literary Award, longlisted for the 2010 Man Booker Prize The Slap, Allen & Unwin, 2008 and won the Australian Literary Society Gold Medal for Barracuda, Allen & Unwin, 2013 his novel, The Slap, which was also announced as the Merciless Gods, 2009 Australian Booksellers Association and Australian Allen & Unwin, 2014 Book Industry Awards Books of the Year. The Slap was adapted into an eight-part drama series by Matchbox Theatre: Pictures and premiered in late 2011 on ABC TV, the Who’s Afraid of the Working series received a positive response and went on to air Class? (with Andrew Bovell, around the world. Christos’ latest novel is Barracuda, Melissa Reeves and which was published here and in the UK to rave reviews Patricia Cornelius, 1999, in late 2013 and became an instant bestseller. In late adapted for film as Blessed) 2014 Christos published a collection of short stories, Elektra AD (1999) Merciless Gods, to critical acclaim. Christos’ work Viewing Blue Poles (2000) has been published in over 28 countries. He is also a Fever (with Andrew Bovell, playwright, essayist and screen writer. He is the film Melissa Reeves and critic for The Saturday Paper. He lives in Melbourne. Patricia Cornelius, 2002) Dead Caucasians (2002) Non Parlo di Salo (with Spiro Economopoulos, 2005) The Hit (with Netta Yashin 2006) Without Prejudice – Two plays by Christos Tsiolkas: Carburettor & The Trauma Report (2007) Tenderness: Ugly by Christos Tsiolkas & Slut by Patricia Cornelius (2008)

Screenplays: Thug (with Spiro Economopoulos, 1998) Saturn’s Return (2000) Blessed (with Andrew Bovell, Patricia Cornelius & Melissa Reeves, 2009) Biography: Mannix (Text Publishing, 2015) Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 – Finalist 25 Key Published Chris Wallace– Works Crabbe AM

Biography Poetry: Chris Wallace-Crabbe AM is a poet based in Melbourne, yet known worldwide over the years. The Amorous Cannibal, He writes essays, but is known for verbally rich poetry, OUP, 1985 for his diverse range of interests. He also taught at For Crying Out Loud, Melbourne University for decades. Since 1988 he OUP, 1990 has practiced his buoyant, renewable art full time. The Universe Looks Down, Brandl & Schlesinger, Sydney, 2005

Telling a Hawk from a Handsaw, Carcanet Oxford Poets, 2008

New and Selected Poems, Carcanet Oxford Poets, Manchester, 2013

My Feet Are Hungry, Pitt Street Poets, Sydney, 2014

Afternoon in the Central Nervous System, George Braziller, NY, 2015

Prose:

Falling into Language, OUP, Melbourne, 1990

Read It Again, Salt, Cambridge, 2005

Record:

The Domestic Sublime, River Road Poetry, Sydney, 2009

Photo credit: Robert Colvin 26 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 – Finalist Key Published Alexis Works Wright

Biography Non-fiction: Grog War, Alexis Wright is a member of the Waanyi nation of the Magabala Books 1997 southern highlands of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Her books include Grog War, a study of alcohol abuse in Fiction: Plains of Promise, Tennant Creek, and the novels Plains of Promise, and UQP, 1997 Carpentaria, which won the Miles Franklin Literary Fiction: Carpentaria, Award and was sold to seven territories and The Swan Giramondo, 2006 Book. She is a Distinguished Fellow at Western Sydney University’s Writing and Society Research Centre. Fiction: The Swan Book, Giramondo, 2013

giramondopublishing.com/ fiction/the-swan-book

28 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Best Writing Award 2015

Finalists & Entered Work James Button Alex Miller Speechless A Year In Coal Creek My Father’s Business Allen & Unwin 2013 MUP 2012 John Safran Patricia Cornelius Murder in Mississippi Savages Penguin Books 2013 Playlab 2014 Maria Takolander Andrea Goldsmith The Double The Memory Trap Text Publishing 2013 4th Estate 2014 Abigail Ulman Gideon Haigh Hot Little Hands On Warne Hamish Hamilton Penguin Books 2012 Penguin Books, 2015 Daniel Keene Don Watson Mother The Bush Currency Press 2015 Hamish Hamilton Please visit readings.com.au Penguin Books, 2014 for the finalists book. Best Writing Award 2015 $30,000 The Best Writing Award 2015 is for a piece of published work of outstanding clarity, originality and creativity by a Victorian writer. The submitted work must be published and can be any genre or form for example, fiction, non-fiction, essays, plays, screenplays and poetry.

The Best Writing Award 2015 is supported by its sole patron, The Robert Salzer Foundation.

The recipient of this award will also receive Qantas international air travel to the value of $2,500. 30 Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist Entered Work: James Speechless: Button A Year in My Father’s Business Biography Melbourne University Press 2012 James Button is a non-fiction James Button spent a year writing writer who worked in 2009 as a speech-writer to the then speeches for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd. Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd. A journalist by trade, James also has He was previously Europe Correspondent for The Age and politics in the blood: his father was The Sydney Morning Herald. the diminutive but larger-than-life He is a former deputy editor Senator John Button, a minister in and opinion editor of The Age, and has won two Walkley Awards the Hawke and Keating governments. for feature writing. Growing up, James saw great Labor victories and defeats at close hand, mup.com.au and believes both his father and his family paid a heavy price for politics. mup.com.au/items/135698 Speechless is his highly personal account of a year working in Canberra: his reflection on the failures of Kevin Rudd’s Prime Ministership, on the largely secret world of the public service, and on what he learnt of his father’s life through a year in his father’s business. Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist 31 Entered Work: Patricia Savages Cornelius Playlab 2014 Savages is about men, in a pack, on Biography the loose, dangerous men, angry with Patricia Cornelius is a founding the life they believe has not served them member of Melbourne Workers well. These are men who are desperately Theatre. She’s a playwright, novelist and film writer. She’s a holding on to a sense of themselves that is recipient of many awards and in shreds. There are four of them, excited, her plays have earned her 11 full of expectation, on a holiday of a life Australian Writers Guild awards. time. It’s a holiday they’ve been talking She’s written over 30 plays including: Shit, Savages, Do not about for a long time. It’s all planned. go gentle…, Love and The Call. They’re going to let loose, going to have a wow of a time, eat and drink, and drink some more, get high, and higher and have sex, they’re going to have sex the entire time. This is a holiday ripe for disaster. 32 Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist Entered Work: Andrea Memory Trap 4th Estate 2013 Goldsmith

Nina Jameson, an international Biography consultant on memorial projects, has The Memory Trap is Andrea been happily married for twelve years. Goldsmith’s seventh novel. When her life in London falls apart, Her literary essays have been she accepts a commission in her home published widely and she is a lively speaker and performer town of Melbourne. There she joins of her work. She has taught her sister, Zoe, embroiled in marital creative writing at universities problems with Elliot, an American and in the community, and has mentored many new writers. biographer of literary women. Elliot She lives in inner Melbourne. has a stronger attachment to his dead biographical subjects than he does andreagoldsmith.com.au to his wife, while Zoe’s own passions have long been directed towards the renowned pianist, Ramsay Blake, a genius at the piano but a half-baked human being in every other respect. Astute and thought-provoking, The Memory Trap tells a story of marriage, music, the illusions of love and the deceits of memory. Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist 33 Entered Work: Gideon On Warne Penguin 2012 Haigh

On Warne is an extended appreciation Biography of Australia’s most dynamic and Gideon Haigh has been charismatic postwar cricketer, a journalist for 31 years, Shane Warne, who took 1000 published 31 books and international wickets in a 15-year edited seven others. He began his career at The Age, career. More than that, Warne and now contributes to The was Australian cricket’s first bona Australian and The Times. fide celebrity, notable not only for He lives in Melbourne with what he did but who he was. his wife and daughter.

Few popular Australian figures have gideonhaigh.com achieved so much in their chosen sphere; fewer still have led a private life so relentlessly public; none, perhaps, have exhibited such a consistent relish for fame and its trappings. 34 Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist Entered Work: Daniel Mother Keene Currency Press 2015 Mother is a one woman play that tells Biography the story of Christie, a homeless woman Daniel Keene has written over living on the fringes of Melbourne. 70 plays. He has been produced Devoid of self pity, stubbornly in every Australian capital city and his work has been independent, she pieces together presented at the Melbourne, the fragments of her past to tell the Sydney and Adelaide story of the home she once had and International Arts Festivals. the love and hope she once knew. Since 2000 over 80 main stage and dozens more small scale Her language is by turns irreverent productions of his work have and tender, profane and lyric. been presented in Europe, predominately in France. The loneliness, poverty and violence she has endured have failed to destroy her spirit or diminish the grief she feels danielkeene.com.au for the child she lost in circumstances of her own making.

Photo credit: F. Passerini Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist 35 Entered Work: Alex Coal Creek Miller Allen & Unwin 2013 Coal Creek is an extraordinarily powerful Biography exploration of tragedy, betrayal, the Alex Miller has won numerous true nature of friendship and the beauty awards for his eleven novels of lasting love from one of Australia’s including twice winning Australia’s premier literary prize, most highly acclaimed literary writers. the Miles Franklin and was Bobby Blue is caught between loyalty awarded the Centenary Medal for services to Australian Society. to his only friend, Ben Tobin, and his He is published internationally boss, Daniel Collins, the new constable and widely in translation and at Mount Hay. Collins is increasingly is a Fellow of the Australian bewildered and goaded to action by his Academy of the Humanities. wife and Bobby’s love for Collins’ wilful young daughter Irie is exposed, leading to tragic consequences for them all. Coal Creek carries all the wisdom and emotional depth we have come to expect from Miller’s richly evocative novels.

Photo credit: John Tsiavis 36 Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist Entered Work: John Murder in Mississippi Safran Penguin 2013 When filming his TV series Race Relations, Biography John Safran spent an uneasy couple John Safran is an award- of days with one of Mississippi’s most winning documentary-maker of provocative and hilarious takes notorious white supremacists. A year later, on race, the media, religion and he heard that the man had been murdered other issues. John currently – and what was more, the killer was black. co-hosts Sunday Night Safran, Over six months, Safran got deeper a radio talk show on Triple J with cranky but beloved Catholic and deeper into the South, becoming priest, Father Bob Maguire. entwined in the lives of those connected with the murder – white separatists, black campaigners, lawyers, investigators, neighbours, even the killer himself. Safran paints an engrossing, revealing portrait of a dead man, his murderer, the place they lived and the process of trying to find out the truth about anything. Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist 37 Entered Work: Maria The Double Takolander Text 2013 A student travels to Estonia to investigate Biography his violent father’s upbringing. A woman Maria Takolander is an Australian is possessed by visions of her brother’s author of Finnish descent. brutal death at a lake in Finland. A bride The Double (and Other Stories) was named one of 2013’s plumbs the depths of her loathing for her best books by The Australian, husband on a honeymoon in Africa. Overland, Readings, and A poet undertakes a bizarre quest for the New Zealand Listener. the source of his inspiration. Ranging The author of two acclaimed poetry collections, and now from futuristic Australia to the dark past writing a novel, Maria is an of the Soviet era, from the terrifying to Associate Professor at Deakin the absurd, each story in this collection University in Geelong. is unsettling and unforgettable. Reviewing for The Australian, Geordie textpublishing.com.au/books/ the-double Williamson has said: ‘Fiercely intelligent and idiosyncratic … Takolander’s stories … are thrilling.’ 38 Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist Entered Work: Abigail Hot Little Hands Penguin 2015 Ulman

Hot Little Hands contains nine funny, Biography confronting and pitch-perfect stories Abigail Ulman was born and about stumbling on the fringes of raised in Melbourne. She has innocence, and the marks desire can a Bachelor of Creative Arts from leave. These are tales about now – about the University of Melbourne/ VCA and was a recent Wallace first encounters with lasting impressions, Stegner Fellow in Fiction at and break-ups that last longer than the Stanford University. Hot Little relationships; about a time when late- Hands is her first book. night text messages are considered a courtship, and the most personal secrets get casually revealed online. It is the debut of a striking, wry, utterly fresh new voice in Australian literature. Best Writing Award 2015 – Finalist 39 Entered Work: Don The Bush Penguin 2014 Watson

Starting with his forebears’ battle to Biography drive back nature and eke a living from Don Watson is an award-winning the land, Don Watson explores the bush author and former speechwriter for as it was and as it now is: the triumphs Paul Keating. His books include and the ruination, the commonplace Recollections of a Bleeding Heart, Death Sentence, Watson’s and the bizarre, the stories we like to Dictionary of Weasel Words, tell about ourselves and the national American Journeys and The Bush. character, and those we don’t. He has won The Age Book of the Year twice, a Walkley non- At once magisterial in scope and alive fiction award and many others. with telling, wry detail, The Bush lets us see our landscape and its inhabitants afresh, examining what we have made, what we have destroyed, and what we have become in the process. 40 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015 Writers Prize 2015

Finalists and Essays

Robyn Annear David Sornig Places Without Poetry Jubilee: A Hymn for Elsie Williams on Dudley Flats Nick Gadd The Unconscious Maria Tumarkin of the City No Skin

Kate Ryan Psychotherapy for Normal People Writers Prize 2015

$20,000 (plus $2,000 to each of the five finalists) The Writers Prize 2015 is a new category made available this year to continue the 10th anniversary celebrations of the annual Melbourne Prize. The Award provides opportunities for writers to produce new work.

Entrants to the Writers Prize 2015 are invited to submit an essay of up to 20,000 words (10,000 words minimum). The essay must include Melbourne, Victoria or Australia in its subject. Entrants to this award must be The five finalist essays in the a published author. Writers Prize 2015 have been published through the generous Supported by the Copyright support of the Griffith Review. Agency’s Cultural Fund, in association with The Malcolm Please visit griffithreview.com to Robertson Foundation. In association with download this exclusive e-book. 42 Writers Prize 2015 – Finalist Entered Essay: Robyn Places Without Poetry Annear

Biography The essay takes its title from a reputed plaint by Camus, on first acquaintance Robyn writes about history, with Paris, that ‘What the heart craves, but is no historian. Besides five non-fiction books and an at certain moments, is places without unpublishable novel, she has poetry.’ In Melbourne, such a place is not written for The Monthly and far to seek: buses bound for Doncaster The Saturday Paper. She lives Shoppingtown leave from Lonsdale Street in country Victoria, where she every 20 minutes. works as a medical records clerk and, as a hobby, collects dust.

With Camus-ards thus dispatched, the robynannear.com essay weaves a meandering course through central Melbourne, guided Key Published Works restively by historical fact and imagining. The Man Who Lost Himself: The unbelievable story of the Tichborne Claimant; History/ Biography; Text Publishing, 2002

Fly a Rebel Flag: The Eureka Stockade; History/Children’s; Black Dog Books, 2004

A City Lost and Found: Whelan the Wrecker’s Melbourne; History; Black Inc., 2005

Bearbrass: Imagining early Melbourne; History; Mandarin, 1995/Black Inc., 2005 Writers Prize 2015 – Finalist 43 Entered Essay: Nick The Unconscious Gadd of the City Biography ‘The Unconscious of the City’ is an exploration of the psychogeography Nick Gadd writes essays and fiction about Melbourne, history, of Melbourne. Its starting point is a literature, music and sport. quote from the Californian essayist His blog Melbourne Circle Rebecca Solnit, who wrote that ‘ruins melbournecircle.net describes are the unconscious of the city’. a journey around Melbourne on foot. He won the 2015 Nature Conservancy Australia I have broadened Solnit’s definition Nature Writing Prize and his to include many kinds of industrial work has recently appeared in traces, ghostsigns and remnants that The Guardian, Eureka Street and several anthologies. linger in cities from previous eras.

Key Published Works Ghostlines (2008), novel, winner of a Victorian Premier’s Literary Award and a Ned Kelly Award

melbournecircle.net 44 Writers Prize 2015 – Finalist Entered Essay: Kate Psychotherapy for Ryan Normal People Biography ‘Psychotherapy for Normal People’ Kate Ryan writes fiction and non- interweaves psychotherapy, the growth of fiction. Her work has appeared the self and the creative process. Taking as in publications including New its subject the author after almost twenty Australian Writing 2, The Sleepers years of therapy and using Melbourne as Almanac, Kill Your Darlings and The its setting, the essay ranges widely to Griffith Review. Her picture books have been published by Penguin consider the effects of parental death and Lothian. Kate’s story ‘Sunday on children, the ‘Black Rose’ project by Nights’ was shortlisted for the 2015 photographer Trent Parke and novelist Josephine Ulrick Literature Award. William Styron’s account of his descent She has a PhD in Creative Writing into depression in Darkness Visible. Popular from La Trobe University (2013) culture relating to psychotherapy such and is working on an adult novel. as the HBO series In Treatment and the Key Published Works cartoon TopCat are discussed in order to Fiction: ‘Eyes’, Microstories, 1994 explore how the psychoanalytic process Australian Book Review has found expression in everyday life. ‘Good Mother’, New Australian The essay considers the complicated Writing 2, 2010 (Scribe relationship between therapist and patient Publications) and its role in fostering creativity and the ‘The Leaves’, Sleepers Almanac no 7, 2011 (Sleepers Publishing) growth of a writer. ‘Windows’, Kill Your Darlings, 2012 (Affirm Press) Non fiction: ‘The Good Woman of Bangkok’, The Filmmaker and the Prostitute, 2006 (Power Publications). ‘A Story in Clothes’, Essay in Griffith Review 44 online, Cultural Solutions, 2014 Children’s picture books: Belvedere Dreaming, 2002, Belvedere in the City, 2002, and Belvedere Is Bleached, 2003, illustrated by Roland Harvey (Penguin Books). The Search of Fred Beaney, 2007, illustrated by Sally Rippen, (Lothian Books), Noable Book in the 2008 Children’s Book Council of Australia Awards. Writers Prize 2015 – Finalist 45 Entered Essay: David Jubilee Sornig

Biography ‘Jubilee’ explores the troubled life and abject death of the singer Elsie Williams David Sornig’s novel Spiel was published in 2009. His fiction (1901-1942), self-described as ‘Australian and non-fiction have appeared born, of American parents, African in publications including Harvard blood’. Williams’ death on Dudley Flats, Review, Griffith Review and Best Australian Stories. He Melbourne’s Depression-era shanty town was a writing fellow at the that had been her home on-and-off for a University of East Anglia and is decade, was the final act in a life begun currently a Creative Fellow at with ambition and talent but ruined not just the State Library of Victoria. by alcoholism, violence and imprisonment, but also by the systemic racism that davidsornig.com defined Australia’s early nationhood. The essay faces the ethical difficulties Key Published Works of narrating the life of a marginalised Spiel, UWAP, 20 0 9 person who is known chiefly through sensationalised fragments that appear in the public record. 46 Writers Prize 2015 – Finalist Entered Essay: Maria No Skin Tumarkin

‘No Skin’ is about physical places, local Biography and global, where traumatic events have Maria Tumarkin writes books happened and lives have been lost brutally (three to date, fourth on the way), and unexpectedly. They are the places reviews, pieces for performance where, to quote Hilary Mantel, ‘the skin and essays (included in Best came off the surface of the world’. I’ve been Australian Essays 2011, 2012 and 2015); she collaborates researching these places for more than with visual artists, psychologists fifteen years – I call them ‘traumascapes’ and pubic historians. Her – and have come to believe that the work has been published, performed, carved into dockside question of what to do with traumascapes tiles, and set to music. (erase? rebuild? erect a monument? maybe just a plaque? leave as is?) Key Published Works obscures the inherently bigger, pressing, Non-Fiction: Traumascapes, culturally significant and explosive question Melbourne University of what they do with us. Oh, they do things! Publishing, 2005 Creative Non-Fiction: Courage, Melbourne University Publishing, 2007

Creative Non-Fiction: Otherland, Vintage, 2010

48 Melbourne Prize for Literature 2015

The ongoing direction of Melbourne Prize Trust Directors, Dr Janine Kirk AM, Professor Thank Andrea Hull AO, David Laidlaw and Pamela Warrender OAM is appreciated, along with Dr Janine Kirk AM and Anthony Poynton as members of the You Management Committee. Founding Partners Cornwell, Ernst & Young, Minter Ellison and Committee for Melbourne The Melbourne Prize for have played an integral role in Literature 2015 and Awards and establishing and maintaining the the Federation Square exhibition project since inception in 2004. have been made possible by the The brand identity and exhibition generous support of the many design for the 2015 Melbourne partners and patrons this year, Prize, including the catalogue many of whom has been with and exhibition, is developed by the Trust since inception in Sally Dobell and the team at 2004. Thank you to the many Cornwell Design – thank you all. entrants this year and finalists, whose interest in the prize Our Events Partner, Federation is greatly appreciated. Square, enables the Melbourne Prize to have its ‘home’ in one The Melbourne Prize Trust would of the highest profile public like to thank The Vera Moore spaces in Australia and generous Foundation for their partnership supporters of the exhibition and most generous support as in the Atrium between 9 and our Principal Patron this year. 23 November. Thank you to With their support we have Premier Graphics for building been able to undertake and the 2015 exhibition and Corporate achieve our objective to provide Vision Australia for their support. opportunities to Victorian writers The Trust greatly appreciates the and develop our literary sector. generous support of Corporate Partners, Qantas to foster The Melbourne Prize Trust would overseas travel of our awards like to thank Creative Victorian recipients and Sofitel Luxury and the City of Melbourne, as our Hotels, who have made available Government Partners, for their our partner events and an ongoing and generous support. overnight stay to be given away The Melbourne Prize Trust to a voter on our website supports Melbourne’s status during the finalist exhibition. as a UNESCO City of Literature. The Melbourne Prize for Literature Thank you to the 2015 Judges, 2015 would not be possible Lisa Dempster, Mark Rubbo OAM, without the support of The Vera Craig Sherborne and Michael Moore Foundation and The Tallis Williams for their dedication Foundation – thank you. The Best and time in judging this year. Writing Award 2015 is generously supported by its sole patron,

The Robert Salzer Foundation, Thank you to Evan Evans for with an airfare credit provided supporting our digital printing, to by Qantas. The new Writers Bill Coleby and Coleby Consulting Prize 2015 is made available by for our risk management, to Lee the generous partnership of the Wong and Celine David of The Copyright Agency’s Cultural Fund, Mighty Wonton for our website in association with The Malcolm management and hosting, Rod Robertson Foundation. The Birrell for IT support and Micro five finalists essays have been PLS for IT service. The Trust would published into an eBook with the like to thank Fundere Fine Art generous support of the Griffith Foundry Melbourne for crafting the Review. The Civic Choice Award unique presentation trophies for 2015 is kindly made possible the awards and for fabricating the by Readings and Hardie Grant miniatures of The Magic Pudding Books, with the accommodation sculpture (located at the Royal prize kindly provided by the Botanic Gardens Melbourne). Sofitel Melbourne On Collins. The Trust would like to thank Thank you to The University of Robert Oatley Vineyards as our wine partner this year and Pratika Melbourne’s School of Culture Lal for her support. Thank you and Communications for to George, Naya and Bokchoy providing the Residency this Tang restaurant at Federation year. The Victorian College of Square for their generous support the Arts generously make on catering for many years. available the head office of the Melbourne Prize Trust. The Trust would like to thank the many organisation supporting Our patrons are acknowledged the literary sector in Victoria for for their generous donations this their interest in our activities and year. These include Diana Gibson support in raising awareness of AO, the Sidney Myer Fund, the opportunity. The many sector Lisa Hill of ANZ LitLovers and journals, peak bodies, commercial Dr Ronald Benson. organisation and websites made it possible to promote the prize Thank you to David Mann OAM during the 2015 program. and 3AW for their support as Broadcast Partner this year. The Trust is fortunate to have the support of a number of There are a number of people whose contribution organisations that provide valued this year is greatly appreciated. professional services to the annual These include Melbourne Melbourne Prize, for which the Prize Trust Administration and Trust is thankful for their generous Operations Assistant Sarah and ongoing partnership. Kempson and our volunteers, Royce provide strategic media Sara Cook and Gillian Cameron. and communications advice, The Trust would like to thank the along with Grant Thornton who community and visitors to the undertake the annual audit of the Federation Square exhibition for Trust and its activities. Rothfield their interest in the Melbourne Print Management and Spicers Prize for Literature 2015. Paper are generous supporters of the Trust’s print requirements. Melbourne Prize Trust Melbourne, Australia About the annual Melbourne Prize & Melbourne Prize Trust Launched in 2004, the Melbourne The exhibition increases Prize Trust recognises and the public’s exposure and rewards excellence and talent, access to the creativity of inspires creative development our community and enhances and enriches public life. The Melbourne’s reputation as Trust achieves these aims by a cultural capital. running the annual Melbourne Prize, which is funded by a The origins of the Trust date collaboration of partnerships and back to the establishment patrons. The Trust is an Income of the children’s garden Exempt Charity with Deductible precinct at the Royal Botanic Gift Recipient status. In 2014 Gardens Melbourne and the the annual Melbourne Prize commissioning of The Magic celebrated its 10th anniversary. Pudding sculpture in 2000.

The annual Melbourne Prize is Proceeds from the sale of one of the most valuable creative limited edition miniatures development initiatives of its of this landmark sculpture kind in Australia. It runs on a contribute to the Trust. three-year cycle and rewards Please contact the sculptors, writers and musicians Melbourne Prize Trust in turn. The current cycle is: regarding the miniatures.

/ Melbourne Prize For further information visit for Urban Sculpture (2014) melbourneprizetrust.org / Melbourne Prize or call (03) 9696 4410. for Literature (2015)

/ Melbourne Prize for Music (2016)

The Prize is unique, celebrating artistic excellence under the banner of Melbourne.

The major event of the annual Melbourne Prize is the free two-week public exhibition of finalists’ work and the prize announcement held each November at Federation Square. The public have the ability to vote for a finalist to win the Civic Choice Award. melbourneprize.org